Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Mixed numbers (2)

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson, students are learning about mixed numbers and how to convert them into improper fractions. A mixed number is a combination of a whole number and a fraction, representing a value greater than one. For instance, when looking at a set of coloured squares, the mixed number that represents the coloured parts might be two and three-fifths. To convert this mixed number into an improper fraction, where the numerator is greater than the denominator, students learn to transform the whole number into an equivalent fraction. This is done by multiplying the whole number by the denominator of the fractional part. In our example, two whole parts are equivalent to ten-fifths (since 2 times 5 equals 10), and when we add the three-fifths, we get thirteen-fifths as the improper fraction.

The lesson continues with the practice of converting various mixed numbers into improper fractions. Students are shown that by multiplying the whole number by the denominator and adding the numerator of the fraction part, they can find the numerator of the improper fraction. For example, to convert three and two-thirds into an improper fraction, three is multiplied by three (the denominator) to get nine, and then two (the numerator) is added to reach eleven, resulting in an improper fraction of eleven-thirds. Another example provided is converting five and three-sevenths, which involves multiplying five by seven to get thirty-five, and then adding the three to end up with thirty-eight-sevenths. This method provides a simple and systematic approach for students to convert mixed numbers to improper fractions efficiently.